Sagittal bone saws function through angular oscillation of the saw cutting blade, and are used primarily in applications that require plunge cutting of bone. However, when used at a high cutting rate, sagittal saws can sometimes generate a significant amount of heat, damaging or destroying bone cells in the immediate area of the cut. Damage to bone cells is undesirable since it can delay patient recovery time and reduce the effectiveness of the surgical procedure. One alternative to high cutting rates includes application of an impulsive thrust force wherein the cutting blade includes motion normal to, and directed into, the bone surface.